Thursday, 8 July 2010

Let's Play The Kevin Bacon Game!

Happy B'day Kev! You've been in so many diversely cast films that people have named a connect-the-actor game after you! You must know everyone in Hollywood. Do you just walk down the streets constantly high-fiving everyone? To celebrate your big day Orcadian style, let us try and connect you to actor associated with Orkney, Robert Shaw!

Some websites claim that Robert Shaw, actor in films The Sting, A Man For All Seasons, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three and Jaws, was born in Orkney but unfortunately, this is not true. He was born in Lancashire and the family moved to Stromness with his doctor father when Shaw was seven. Doctor Shaw had a practise in Victoria Street, Stromness and his children went to the local school.

Sadly, the family had to relocate to Cornwall when Shaw's father took his own life when his son was twelve years old.

Robert Shaw also appeared in Bond film From Russia With Love with Sean Connery...

...who had a cameo as English King Richard, pronouncing his one line in a Scottish accent ("You look rrrradiant coushin"), in the amazing 90s biopic Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves which starred Kevin "could I be more American" Costner as the English folk hero...

...Costner also starred in JFK as Jim Garrison. Who played Willie O'Keefe in that film? It was Mr Bacon...

Below is a picture of a Stromness school class in 1935. Robert Shaw is the little boy on the far left of the picture standing slightly apart from the other children: